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4 Drinks That Can Help You Get More Vitamin D Every Day
Vitamin D is critical for immune defense, osteoporosis prevention, heart health, and more. While foods such as salmon and trout contain it, some beverages do, too. Here are four of them.
Since the 1930s, vitamin D has been added to cow’s milk. “Although it is voluntary in the U.S., most cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D to help Americans get enough,” Julie Stefanski, MEd, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Health.
According to the U.S. Dairy Council, vitamin D-fortified milk must contain at least 100 International Units (IU) and up to 150 IU of vitamin D per 8-ounce serving. One cup of 1% fortified milk, for example, provides 104 IU (17% of the Daily Value).
Of course, vitamin D isn’t the only important nutrient you’ll get from fortified milk—each glass also contains calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and protein.
If you’re not a big milk drinker, Stefanski recommends adding some to other beverages, such as coffee. “Rather than adding a creamer that’s made from corn syrup, vegetable oil, or coconut oil, opt for a serving of cow’s milk,” she said. “The classic recipe for certain coffee beverages, such as a latte or cappuccino, includes a good portion of milk to create the drink.”
Dairy doesn’t own the market on vitamin D fortification. Many plant-based milks, such as soy, almond, cashew, rice, and pea, have added vitamin D. However, as with dairy milk, fortification isn’t required, so be sure to check labels to see how much you’re getting. “Plant-based milks often mimic the vitamin D content of fortified cow’s milk, but not all products are the same,” said Stefanski.
Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almondmilk, for example, contains 25% of the Daily Value of vitamin D per 8-ounce serving. Elmhurst’s Unsweetened Almond Milk, on the other hand, doesn’t contain any.
Orange juice began being fortified with vitamin D in the 1990s. Today, fortified OJ can provide around 100 IU of vitamin D (17% DV) per cup.
“[It] typically also supplies calcium, which is likewise beneficial for bone health,” Emma Laing, PhD, RDN, FAND, a clinical professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Georgia, told Health. Depending on the juice you choose, you could get over 60% of the Daily Value of calcium, plus other beneficial nutrients like vitamins A and E.
Mushrooms are the only plant-based food that naturally supplies vitamin D. When simmered into a drinkable broth, they can offer a surprising dose of the vitamin. But like other fortified drinks, not every mushroom broth contains vitamin D.
Whether it does or not depends on if the mushrooms were treated with UV light to increase vitamin D and how they were processed into broth, according to Stefanski. A 2025 study found that longer boiling times may reduce the availability of vitamin D.
If you’re making mushroom broth yourself, check the label to see whether your mushrooms have been treated with UV light. And keep simmering time to a minimum to retain as much vitamin D as possible.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D for adults is 600 IU per day, with a safe upper limit of 4,000 IU for most adults. Fortunately, there’s little danger of overdoing it on vitamin D from food alone.
“It is very difficult to get too much vitamin D from food,” Jim Painter, PhD, RDN, nutrition program director at John Patrick University, told Health. He pointed out that low vitamin D levels, rather than excessively high levels, are far more common worldwide. (With supplements, however, it is possible to consume harmful amounts.)
Drinks are an excellent place to start boosting your intake, but foods are key as well. To reach daily targets, Painter recommends including plenty of fatty fish, “the highest source by far” of vitamin D in your diet. Rainbow trout, salmon, tuna, and sardines are all rich sources. Egg yolks and certain varieties of mushrooms also contain vitamin D, and many foods—such as yogurt, cheese, and cereals—are fortified with it.
Finally, wherever you get your vitamin D, don’t forget one important tip: “Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, consuming vitamin D-rich foods along with healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, or seeds, can help enhance its absorption,” said Laing.
